For Ruin
Obsidian

December 2006
Released: 2006, Independent
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: Waspman

Hot on the heels of last year’s excellent SHADE demo, melo-death merchants For Ruin continue their all-out assault on the metal world, this time armed with a 5-track E.P. Fronted by Irishman John G. Murphy, For Ruin has gone through some changes since the last time out with 3 new full-time members signing on. I’m sure John is relieved – he recorded and played everything on SHADE! You can immediately hear the improvement in the band’s sound; one-man bands are fine for the misanthropic black metal types, but for full aggression and power, a true band is required.

Aggression and power are two apt descriptors of For Ruin’s sound – tempered with the requisite melodic sensibility of course (this is melodic death metal after all!). Even though the band doesn’t stray far from their roots, improvements over previous output are all over OBSIDIAN. For one, John’s writing has tightened up, focusing on maximum impact and eliminating any unnecessary noodling. This makes songs like the forceful “Into Red” absolute scorchers. Playing wise, the band is also tighter than ever, which is amazing considering the relatively short time they’ve been a unit. Finally, the production is greatly improved; clear, yet just grimy enough to avoid sounding like an Abyss-clone.

I honestly can’t pick any favorite tracks off this disc – they all kick ass! Catchy riffs and memorable solos are all over these songs that picking a favorite is impossible. Even the two instrumentals (“December” and “Treading ‘06”) are excellent. For Ruin is definitely a band on the rise – check them out. Now!